Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
Sorted by date Results 26 - 44 of 44
About 4 million people who turn 61 this year could be facing a deep hit to their Social Security benefits when they retire, warns The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). "This is caused by a flaw in the Social Security benefit formula," explained Mary Johnson, a TSCL Social Security policy analyst. "To prevent benefit cuts, Congress would need to fix this flaw by the end of 2021 before this group turns 62 and are eligible to start benefits." The feature in the Social Security...
You just got your COVID-19 inoculation and you are excited to share the good news and encourage others to do the same. You take a selfie holding your vaccination card and post it to Facebook, Instagram or another social media platform. Unfortunately, your card has your full name and birthday on it, as well as information about where you got your vaccine. If your social media privacy settings aren’t set high, you may be giving valuable information away for anyone to use. Sharing your personal information isn’t the only iss...
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 70 million Americans will increase 1.3% in 2021. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits to more than 64 million Social Security beneficiaries in January. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries began on December 31, 2020. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index, as determined by the Department of Labor's...
Sweepstakes, lottery and prize scams have not lessened their financial and emotional harm, despite concerted law enforcement efforts, according to data from Better Business Bureau (BBB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). This fraud is especially devastating to older adults in the United States and Canada. BBB cautions seniors to be particularly vigilant about recognizing and avoiding tactics used by scammers to prey on people dur...
In an era when so few people believe they'll be able to retire comfortably (or at all) - and the statistics bear that out - author Winton Churchill argues in his just-released book, The "New" Retirement: The Rise of the Gig Economy and How You Can Profit From It, that retirees can, in fact, wield more control over their situations than most realize. "Lots of people believe they will simply have to take the retirement the world hands them (if they get one at all). But that's...
The Social Security Administration announced the first of several steps the agency is taking to improve the public’s experience on its website. The newly redesigned retirement benefits portal at www.socialsecurity.gov/benefits/retirement will help millions of people prepare for and apply for retirement. “We are working hard to continue improving our website to provide people with clear, helpful information and easy access to our online services,” said Andrew Saul, commissioner of Social Security. “Our new retirement portal...
Many seniors filing their taxes this year will have the option of using the new 2019 Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors. Eligible taxpayers age 65 and older who plan to itemize deductions instead of taking the standard deduction will be able to file Form 1040-SR along with Schedule A, Itemized Deductions, when they file their 2019 tax return. These taxpayers will have the option to use this new form – either filing electronically or mailing a paper return – when the...
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 69 million Americans will increase 1.6% in 2020, the Social Security Administration has announced. The 1.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 63 million Social Security beneficiaries in January. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries began on December 31, 2019. The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labo...
Over the years, I've heard many people state such things as, "I will never put my loved one in a nursing home," and "I promised them that I would care for them at home until the end." The reality is that most of those receiving long-term care, and most caregivers, prefer a home environment but unfortunately end up transferring out of the home before they pass. Today, there are approximately 10 million older Americans receiving care, of which 70% are in their own home or the...
As in any area of consumer spending, knowing what to look for and what strategies to use in arranging for paid care services can save money. Medi- Cal planning allows many seniors to keep their homes and limit the depletion of their retirement savings. A person facing the prospect of long-term care with only moderate income and savings may have to rely on Medi-Cal to pay part or all of the cost of care. For example, someone making $2,000 a month would not be able to afford a...
Retirees are not famous for being major risk-takers. In fact, quite the opposite is true with those in their age bracket. That said, it's surprising to learn that one third of them don't even know what Bitcoin is, according to results found through the survey launched by Gold IRA Guide, a magazine providing resources for IRA and 401k owners interested in investing in alternative assets such as precious metals, cryptocurrencies, annuities and other asset classes. "Frankly, the...
America's seniors are seeing improvements in clinical care but are facing significant economic barriers to better health, according to the key findings from United Health Foundation's fifth annual America's Health Rankings Senior Report. Accompanying the report is new survey data, released in partnership with the Alliance for Aging Research, highlighting risks of health savings shortfalls among current and future seniors and uncertainty about future health care savings needs....
America's Social Security system appears to be holding to the old adage - If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Last August, the Social Security Administration implemented a two-factor authentication system designed to reduce the chance of identity theft for those who access their benefit information online. However, about two weeks after requiring beneficiaries to start entering a security code sent to a cell phone when they tried to log into their accounts, the prog...
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed rules addressing the financial exploitation of seniors and other vulnerable adults. FINRA is proposing amendments that would require firms to make reasonable efforts to obtain the name of and contact information for a trusted contact person for a customer’s account. In addition, FINRA is proposing a new rule that would permit firms to place a temporary hold on a disbursement of funds or securities when t...
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) released a year-end report on the FINRA Securities Helpline for Seniors 1-844-57-HELPS, which has fielded more than 2,500 calls and helped investors recover nearly $750,000 in voluntary reimbursements from firms since its launch last April. The report highlights important lessons for investors gleaned from calls and lays out effective practices for firms to consider when working with senior investors. The report notes that seniors, who can be especially vulnerable, are...
Keep Your Home California has launched a new pilot program to help low and moderate-income senior homeowners avoid foreclosure on their reverse mortgages. Senior homeowners who are at risk of losing their home to foreclosure due to delinquent property expenses associated with their Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured reverse mortgages could qualify for as much as $25,000 in assistance. The Reverse Mortgage Assistance Pilot Program is intended to help financially...
About 6 million people will pay a penalty in 2016 because they lack federally mandated health insurance, a new analysis shows. The previous estimate was that about 4 million people would be hit with the health insurance “tax” in four years. Beginning in 2014, the federal health care reform law – sometimes called “ObamaCare” – will require most legal U.S. residents to either obtain health insurance or pay a penalty tax. In 2016, that penalty will be $695 per person or 2.5 percent of a household's income, whichever is greater....
Many years ago, when you needed a new car, you bought one. There was no such thing as a private lease. In more recent years, leasing has become a popular option. But it is not for everyone. “There is a very narrow group of people for which a lease is advantageous,” said Michael Manning, general manager of Jim Manning Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram in Dinuba. “Leasing is very rigid,” Manning said. If know you will drive a limited number of miles per year and you like to pay a fixed amount per month, and know that repairs will be...
While it can be hard to find a great deal these days, sometimes knowing a few 'secrets' can help. Even at a place like Costco. Although most shoppers know that buying in bulk on some items can certainly save money, there are a few tips you can use at the giant retailer in south Visalia. Certainly there are savings to be had at their basic price, like the store's top seller, its Kirkland toilet paper, an item that moves at the rate of $60,000 per week according to a store spoke...